Slyders Review : A Fun, Chaotic, And Highly Replayable Bullet-hell FPS Roguelite

Slyders is a wild, over-the-top FPS survival roguelite from the indie gamedev Kato Games, combining bullet-hell intensity with fast-paced arena shoother mechanics. You play as Aryx, a courageous fox freedom fighter riding a supersonic battle turtle, on a mission to liberate the floating isles of Sky World from a demonic overlord’s forces. This indie game is scheduled to release on November 24, 2025.

Let’s follow us at Indie Games Tavern to dive in this indie game review to see if Slyders worths your time.

Gameplay & Core Loop

15-Minute Runs: Each session is designed to be relatively short (around 15 minutes), focusing on chaotic survival and high-intensity combat.
Shoot & Dodge: As a first-person bullet-hell shooter, you’ll face waves of enemies from all directions. Movement and avoiding projectiles are as critical as shooting.
Abilities & Upgrades: You have a wide variety of active and passive abilities to choose from. According to the dev and community, upgrades come in “cards” (similar to survivor-likes) across several categories.
Summon Allies: You can summon powerful allies — for instance, an elephant warrior named Bernard or a giant sand-worm lady Sandy — to aid you in battles.
Loot and Items: Defeat bosses and enemies to get loot, powerful items, and gear that personalize your build.
Progression / Meta: There’s meta-progression — run-to-run, you’ll unlock “Powerups and Weapons” to make future runs stronger.
Multiple Maps: The game features several maps to unlock, giving variety to where the battles take place.

We Indie Games Tavern highly appreciated the idea of a fast-paced shooter on PC/Console which is really rare to see. We’re hooked immediately into Slyders, battle after battle, looting and upgrading made us feel satisfied. Thank you the indie gamedev Kato Games for bringing this game to the current market.

What Works Really Well

High-Energy, Chaotic Action
Players report that Slyders nails the feeling of chaotic arena shooters — there are tons of enemies and projectiles, and combat feels fast, hectic, and fun. > “killing enemies fast is the best way to avoid getting surrounded.”

Unique Tone and Character
The premise — a fox fighter on a battle turtle, with a tiny bear sidekick (Brian) — gives the game a playful, almost cartoon-like vibe, which pairs well with the bullet-hell intensity.

Build Variety
The system of active and passive abilities, plus stat boosts, allows for a lot of build experimentation. According to a Russian review, abilities are grouped into multiple categories (passive, active, auto), and combinations can get very creative.

Summon Mechanic
Summoning allies like Bernard or Sandy is a fun twist — they feel impactful and help break up the solo shooting with moments of support or diversion.

Developer Responsiveness
The developer is very active in the community. On Reddit, devs mention they listen to player feedback, and frequent updates (demo patches) have added features like a winter-themed map. As we always say, and we Indie Games Tavern will repeat it again, to all of the indie gamedevs out there, this is the most important part (beside developing your game) that you must do. Show your passion, gain player’s trust, your indie game will have a better chance to be viral.

Fast but Rewarding Runs
With 15-minute runs, the game is approachable — you don’t feel like you’re committing to hour-long sessions but still get satisfying progression and loot.

Areas for Improvement & Considerations

Screen Clutter / Weapon Obstruction
Some players are bothered by how large the weapons appear on screen, which can block a lot of view — especially in a chaotic bullet-hell arena.

Visual Settings / QoL
According to early players, the settings menu is quite minimal. Some have requested more options like FOV sliders, better video settings, and more granular control.

Balance Concerns
Because of the many abilities and upgrade paths, there is a risk that some combinations may become “too strong” or dominate runs, reducing build diversity. A review notes that some abilities let you survive to late waves “almost guarantee[d]”.

Difficulty Spikes
As with many roguelites, difficulty can ramp up fast. The intensity of waves and number of projectiles may overwhelm newer or less skilled players.

AI Content Disclosure
On Steam, the developer discloses that some graphical assets (especially perk/item art) were created with generative AI. This could be a consideration for players sensitive to AI-generated art.

Polish & Final State
Because the game is still in development (demo / WIP), some users have noted rough edges around performance, polish, or UI. For example, spawn pacing, early run delays, or visual effects may need more refinement.

Final Thoughts

Slyders is shaping up to be a fun, chaotic, and highly replayable bullet-hell FPS roguelite that leans into classic arena-shooter energy while layering in modern meta-progression. Its fast runs, wide variety of upgrades, and over-the-top summoning mechanics make it a compelling pick for action fans who want more than just “run and gun.”

To us at Indie Games Tavern, it still needs some polish — especially in terms of UI, balance, and quality-of-life settings. If the dev continues to listen and iterate (which they seem to), Slyders has strong potential to be a standout indie shooter.

Who Should Play It?

Action / Arena Shooter Fans: If you loved Serious Sam or similar fast-paced shooters, this is right up your alley.
Roguelite Players: For players who enjoy short runs, random upgrades, and strategic build choices.
Bullet-Hell Enthusiasts: If you don’t mind screens full of projectiles and enemies, and want to dodge and weave through chaos.
Indie Game Lovers: People who enjoy supporting smaller teams and following games in development.
Players Who Like Builds: If you want to experiment with different combinations of active & passive skills, summons, and gear.

Who Might Wait or Skip It?

Casual Players: If you prefer more relaxed or slower-paced shooters, the intensity here may be too much.
Players Seeking a Deep Story: The narrative appears to be minimal (based on demo and community feedback) — it’s more about action than storytelling.
Performance-Conscious Gamers: Until polishing is complete, some visual effects or performance issues may bother players on lower-end machines.
Those Sensitive to Screen Clutter: If you’re easily overwhelmed by large HUDs, giant weapon models, or chaotic visuals, you might wait for more settings.
Art Purists: If AI-generated art in UI or item graphics is a concern, this is something to be aware of.

Slyders Review by Indie Games Tavern.

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